Romney tried to duplicate that ‘conflict of interest’ with Staples, but Office Depot refused to withdraw. Committee members, years later: “Mitt was petty, vindictive, and self-aggrandizing.” Debate performances prove these are deep-seated traits.

In Tel Aviv, where anti-Iran rhetoric led to praising Israel’s socialist health care, Mitt pandered at another fundraiser. His visit was dedicated to garnering Jewish votes and money so he declined talks concerning the critical Palestine/Israel peace struggle, but managed to insult Palestinians, blaming their “culture” for lack of prosperity.

Former business associate, domineering puppet-master Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Mitt’s permission for “any” Israeli aggression against Iran. Immediately, both Israeli President Peres and Defense Minister Barak praised Obama, “This administration has done more than any other for Israel than I can remember.” Peres added, “Obama is the most supportive since President Carter.”

Last chance to beef-up Mitt’s feeble foreign relations profile made Poland an important stop, where half the population is unhappy Obama canceled the European Interceptor Site, a mega-billions defense protecting central Europe from Iranian missiles. Britain, France, Germany and Russia all opposed the project, but defense contractors vote, so...

Muzzling Mitt to prevent an every nation gaffe “turkey,” one handler made it a team blunder sport by verbally cursing the traveling press corps complaining about inaccessibility.

Romney skipped Italy, where a lucrative Bain Capital deal is “a dark chapter in the country’s privatization history, one that hurt Italians deeply.” Profits of $1 billion were funneled through Luxembourg subsidiaries to avoid income taxes in Italy and USA.

Romney is graced with good fortune, but he is not full of grace. He’s a flawed candidate, bereft of conviction, uncommitted to any tenet except his ambition. Issue flip-flopping is risk aversion, as are pathetic attempts to be all things to all conservatives, placating any alliance, never venturing onto any limb, never rebuking divisive dialogue.

The veil of secrecy concealing Mitt’s income taxes prompted a fellow private equity professional to remark, “Romney’s made extraordinary use of every possible income tax loophole. In the world of aggressive tax treatment, his is the most extreme I’ve ever seen. Mitt has gone as far to the dark side as anyone I know.”

Mitt’s wealth confirms “success,” however he was never an entrepreneur — he took few risks. He never worried about prep school expulsion, student loans, military draft, more debts than assets, mortgage payments, or even failure at Bain Capital.

Romney has enjoyed a platinum safety net kind of life, and like many privileged people, he’s convinced himself he deserves all his “blessings” — that he did it all on his own rather than profiting on the “remains” of countless American workers.